Electric railway system



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 (No Model.) v

H.BRANDENBURG. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

m 2 1 M v m 1 5 P J H. l i I M 02 Q 7 w 5 W 4 Am I 0 l V J m H. mm

1 lll I'l lllll HHHIII (No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet a.

H. BRANDENBURG. ELEGTBIU RAILWAY SYSTEM.

W .Pa/t/egted Jan.7,-1896.

(No Model.) 7 A 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

H.BRANDENBURG. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM. N0 552,604.

Patented Jan. 7, 1896.

CO H R.

WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY BRANDENBURG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,604, dated January *7, 1896. 7

Application filed October 5, 1894:. $erial NO- 525,038. No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY BRANDENBURG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Railway Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates more particularly to underground or conduit systems, and it has for its primary object to provide a practical underground or conduit system in which the live conductor will be completely sealed and shielded from moisture or other influences calculated to cause leakage, and will be in circuit or contact with the trolley-wire only at the point of contact between such wire and the trolley.

Another object of myinvention is to avoid electrifying the conduit or the slot-rails excepting those portions thereof which are under the car, if by any possibility the same should be out into the circuit by the trolley or other means while the car is passing.

Another object of my invention is to provide simple and practical means for automatically closing the slot.

A further object of my invention is to support the trolley by the trolley-wires or rails or other connections which supply the trolley with electricity; and a still further object is to improve the form of conduit whereby dirt and other accumulations may be readily removed therefrom. 7

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of novelty by which the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing are attained, all as more fully explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of the conduit and parts contained therein embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof taken on the line 2 2, 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the conduit at one of the joints. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view thereof taken 011 the line at 4, Fig. is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the trolley, taken on the line 55, Fig. 6. Fig. (3 is a plan section of the trolley, taken on the Fig. 5

line 6 6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a plan section taken on the line 7 7, Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the trolley, taken on the line 88, Fig. 5.

Like signs of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

The conduit is preferably constructed of a trough-like channel-iron 1 composed of upright or substantially vertical side pieces connected together by a bottom piece which constitutes the floor of the conduit and is provid ed at its edges with outwardly-extending flanges 2 which rest upon cross ties orbeams 3 arranged atsuitable intervals, and here and there throughout the length of the floor of the conduit are formed discharge openings 1 which are arranged over and connected with necks 5 of a sewer or drain pipe 6, whereby sleet, water, dirt, and other accumulations in the conduit may be readily caused by means of any suitable broom (not shown) to discharge through the openings i into the drain 6 and then, if desired, carried off by flushing the drain.

The sides and bottom of the described ehannel-iron constituting the conduit are preferably formed in one piece and in short sections substantially the length of an ordinary car, the sections being insulated so that the current may not pass from one to the other. This insulation of the conduit-sections may be accomplished by means of a suitable insulation 7 secured between the ends of. the sections in any convenient manner. The sections of the conduit are secured together at their ends by means of fish bars or plates 8 rigidly bolted thereto by means of bolts 9, and in order that this fish-bar may not be in electrical contact with both of the sections I interpose between such fish-plate and the outer side of the conduit a sheet of insulation. 10 and I surround the bolts 9 by insulating washers or sleeves 11.

The slot is constituted by two angleirons 12 having vertical and lateral members, as more clearly shown in Fig. 1, the latter of which constitute the slot-rails while the former are arranged against the sides of the conduit and securely fastened thereto by means of bolts 13 or other suitable devices. The

duit-sections, and their ends are insulated from each other by means of the insulation '7, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus it will be seen that should the conduit or the slot rails through any possibility become electrified the electrified portion will be of but slight extent and it may be readily removed for repairing the parts causing the short circuit.

Secured to the inner sides of the walls of the conduit, one on each side, are two supports .14 15 constructed of any suitable elastic material, but preferably of sheetsteel or similar metal. These supports 1.4 1.5 are in the form of thin strips extending longitudinally throughout the conduit, but preferably composed of short sections of about the same length as the sections of the conduit and slot rails, and preferably coterminous therewith, their ends being electrically disconnected by means of insulation lfi'suitably secured to their inner faces and provided wit-l1 a tongue 17 extending in between their ends. The lower edges of the strips or supports 14 15 are securely bolted or riveted to the walls of the conduit by means of the rivets 18, which are insulated from such walls, as shown in Fig. 1, while the supports 14 15 are also insulated from the walls. The upper edges of these supports are curved inwardly or toward each other so as to form a space between them and the walls of the conduit, and their extreme upper edges are bent over into almost a horizontal position and brought together at about the center of the slot, so as to completely close the latter. The supports 14 15, being of resilient in ateriahwill be deflected to one side as the trolley passes, and will then automatically spring back into contact with each other under the slot and thus prevent, in a large measure, the admission of dirt and other objectionable matter to the conduit. The lower edges of the slot-rails are cut away preferably on a curve, as shown at 19 in Fig. 1, in order that the upperedges of the supports 14 15 may be arranged closer to the surface of the slotrails and thus lessen the depth of the closed slot, and as a consequence alford less room for the accumulation of dust and dirt in such slot. The extreme edges of the slot-closers thus constituted are preferably curved slightly downward, as shown in Fig. 1, in order that the tendency of dirt accumulating thereon will be to slide off between such edges and not work back behind the supports 14 15. The upper edges of the supports 14 15 are prevented from having electrical contact with the slot-rails by means of an insulation 20 arranged on the lower side of the latter.

21 22 are the live conductors or wires,which are continuous and which constitute the outgoing and return wires respectively. These conductors are secured to the inner sides of the walls of the conduit and insulated therefrom by means of the insulation 23, the wires being preferably triangular in cross-section and provided with flanges 24 at their upper and lower edges, fitting under salient flanges 25 of the insulation, the insulation being secured to the conduit by means of bolts 26. Secured over each of the conductors 21 22 throughout the length of the conduit is a thin strip of flexible insulation 27 ,whose one edge is suitably attached to the rear side of one of the supports 14 15,while its other edge may be connected to the wall of the conduit by being secured between the latter and the insulation 23, thus completely inclosing and hermetically sealing each of the live conductors in an air-space located to one side of the slot, where no injury can be effected to the insulation or moisture admitted to the inclosure.

Secured to the opposed faces of each of the supports 14 15 is a trolley wire or bar 28. These trolley wires or bars 28 are connected directly with the contact-springs 29 arranged within the inclosure containing the live wires 21 22 and having forked ends, as shown, adapted to slide over the inclined sides of the live conductors 21 22 when the supports 14 15 are deflected to one side, as shown 011 the right in Fig. 1, the object in forming the contacts 29 in this manner being to insure perfect electrical contact, notwithstanding any variation in the lateral or transverse movement of the supports 14 15. The electrical connection between the contacts 29 and the trolley-wires 28 may be effected by bolts or rivets 80, which also serve to support the trolley-wires on the supports 14 15, but which, of course, are insulated from the supports 14 15 by sleeves or washers 31, as understood.

The contacts 29 are insulated from the supports 14 15 by the flexible insulating-strips 27, as also by blocks of insulation 32; and the trolley-wires 28 are insulated preferably throughout their extent from the supports 14 15 by strips of insulation 33, and such wires are preferably composed of short sections, which, if desired, may be coterminous with the sections of the conduit slot-rails and supports 14 15 and insulated from each other at their ends by means of strips of insulation 34. (See Fig. 2.) These strips of insulation 34 preferably divide the sections of the trolley-wire diagonally or on the bias in order that the trolley-wheels or other member of the trolley engaging therewith may be insured a smooth and even surface and in order further that the wheel may contact with one section of the wire before leaving the other, and thus avoid the formation of a spark. It is understood, of course, that each section of the trolley-wire is provided throughout its length at suitable intervals with a number of the contacts 29. By this construction it will be seen that the live conductors are at all times hermetically sealed and shielded from becoming short-circuited excepting through the contacts 29, and the current can only pass through these when they are deflected against the conductors by the trolley, and eventhen the trolley-wires are electrified only throughout the extent of one of their sections, which may be only equal in length to the length of the car or even shorter,

and therefore there will be but little oppor- Electrical connection between the trolley wires 28 and the car is preferably effected by means of horizontal trolley-wheels 37 38 arranged to engage respectively with the trolley wires 28 and being so arranged as to force the contacts 29 on both sides into contact with the live conductors 21 22 simultaneously, so that the current may pass into the motor through one trolley-whcel and back to the plant through the other. This arrangement of the trolley-wheels of course necessitates setting their axes 39 on opposite sides of the central line of the trolley-frame, and in order that the trolley with the wheels thus arranged may be held straight between the trolleywires I provide the trolley with a third wheel or idler 40, which is similar in all respects to the wheels 37 38, excepting that it need not have electrical connection with the motor.

All of the trolley-wheels are preferably grooved, as shown, so as to partially embrace the trolley-wires and thus support the trolley upon the latter without other aid. 1

The trolley-frame 4:1 is preferably composed of blocks and strips of insulation suitably secured together as by means of bolts or rivets 42, the trolley-wheels being provided with suitable bushings &3 in which their journals are secured. The upper journals of the wheels 37 38, however, are secured in blocks 14: completely surrounded by insulation and provided with sockets 45 for the reception of the terminals 48 49, which lead the circuit to and from the motor respectively. Each of these terminals is of course insulated and provided with ferrules 50 having flanges 51 resting upon the trolley-frame, and the trolley-frame adjacent to each of the terminals 18 49 is provided with a notch or pair of snap-hooks 52 which engage over the flanges 51, as shown in Fig. 8, and hold the terminals in place.

The trolley-frame may be formed with cavities or receptacles 53 for carrying a supply of oil, which may be led to the upper journals of the wheels through ducts 54 leading through the bushings, while the lower journals of such wheels may be lubricated from oil supplied from cavities 55 formed within the wheels themselves and having ducts 56 leading to the exterior of the journals, the cavities 55 being supplied through an opening closed by a screw-cap 57 The trolley is preferably trailed after the car by means of any suitable connection attached to the eye or loop 58, but of course any other means of connecting the trolley to the car may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric railway, the combination with the conduit having a slot, of a transversely movable slot closer mounted permanently within said conduit and a trolley wire extending longitudinally of the conduit in.- closed therein by the slot closer, and movable transversely with said slot closer; substantially as described.

i 2. In an electric railway, the combination with the conduit having a slot, of a slot closer movable in a horizontal plane transversely of the slot connected with the conduit and a trolley wire mounted on said slot closer at a point removed from the slot but moving therewith when the slot is'opened and closed and extending longitudinally of the conduit 5 sub stantially as described.

3. In an electric railway, the combination with the conduit having a slot, of a metallic slot closer movable in ahorizontal plane transversely of the slot connected with the conduit and an insulated trolley wire mounted on said slot closer at a point removed from the slot but moving therewith when the slot is opened and closed; substantially as described.

4. In an electric railway, the combination with the conduit having a slot, of a metallic slot closer movable in a horizontal plane transversely of the slot formed in insulated sections connected with the conduit and a trolley wire mounted on said slot closer at a point removed from the slot, insulated from the slot closer and moving therewith when the slot is opened or closed; substantially as described.

5. In an electric railway, the combination with the conduit having a slot, of a feed conductor mounted in'a fixed position in the conduit, a slot closer and a trolley wire supported at a point removed from the slot and moved toward and from said fixed wire by'the slot closer whereby electrical connection between the feed wire and trolley wire may be established by such movement; substantially as described.

6. In an electric railway, the combination with the conduit having a slot, of a feed conductor mounted in a fixed position in the conduit, a transversely movable slot closer a trolley wire carried by said slot closer at a point removed from the slot and contacts for establishing electrical connection between the trolley wire and feed wire when the sl'ot'closer is moved to open the slot; substantially as described.

7. In an electric railway the combination with the slotted conduit and the conductor or feed wire supported in the upper portion' one edge to the conduit and extending between said wires, and contacts moved by the support for establishing electrical connection between the trolley wire and conductor when the support is moved transversely; substantially as described.

8. In an electric railway the combination with the oppositely arranged conductors or feed wires supported in fixed position, of 0ppositely arranged laterally yielding metallic supports mounted on a fixed base at one edge, trolley wires mounted on said supports in proximity to their free edges and contacts moved by said supports for establishing electrical connection between the conductors and trolley wires; substantially as described.

9. In an electric railway system, the combination with the live conductor and the conduit in which said conductor is located, of a trolley wire or bar, a strip extending longitudinally in the conduit and supporting said trolley wire or bar, said strip being insulated from the trolley wire or bar and composed of insulated sections, and contacts carried by said strip and having electrical connection with said trolley wire or bar, substantially as set forth.

10. In an electric railway system, the combination with the conduit having a slot, and the live conductors arranged within said conduit on opposite sides of said slot, of the oppositely arranged deflectable strips extending longitudinally in the conduit between the slot and the conductors and having contacts on their inner sides adapted to contact with said conductors, and trolley wires electrically connected with said contacts mounted on the outer sides of said strips, and a trolley supported between and by said trolley wires, substantially as set forth.

11. In an electric railway system, the combination with a conduit having a slot and the live conductors arranged on opposite sides of said slot, of deflectable strips extending longitudinally within said conduit between said conductors and slot and having their upper edges brought together under the slot so as to close the latter, contacts arranged between the conductors and said strips and trolley wires or bars mounted on the proximate faces of said strips with means for establishing electrical connection with said contacts, substantially as set forth.

12. In an electric railway system, the combination with the conduit having a slot, of laterally deflectable trolley wires supported within said conduit on opposite sides of said slot, slot closers arranged to move laterally with said wires, and means for supplying said wires with current, substantially as set forth.

13. In an electric railway system, the combination of a number of insulated sections of channel irons composing the sides and bottom of the conduit, the insulated sections of angle irons 12 having their lateral portions constituting the slot rails and their upright portions bolted to said channel irons, fish bars or plates connecting said sections of channeliron and being insulated therefrom, and a conductor arranged within said conduit and being insulated therefrom, substantially as set forth.

14. In an electric railway system, the combination with the conduit and the trolley wires, of the supports 14, 15 for said wires having their lower ends turned upward, and the feed-wires seated in said upturned ends, substantially as set forth.

15. A conduit for electrical railways consisting of the base having the continuous extended base flan ges and integral upwardly extending sides and also having top coverings of continuous angle irons with the continuous downwardly extending flanges bolted to the upwardly extending side pieces of the base; substantially as described.

HENRY BRANDENBURG.

WVitnesses:

F. A. HoPKINs, EDNA B. J OHNSON. 

